Medical Xpress news tagged with:fruit flieshttp://medicalxpress.com/
en-usMedical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine.The fruit fly may know it's bugging youUniversity of Queensland researchers have shown, like humans, fruit flies may be self-aware of their actions.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-07-fruit-bugging.html
NeuroscienceFri, 24 Jul 2015 07:20:01 EDTnews356940502Rsu1 gene linked to regulation of alcohol consumption(Medical Xpress)—A large team of international researchers has found a link between the Rsu1 gene and the degree of impact of alcohol consumption on both fruit flies and humans. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team descries studies they carried out on both fruit flies and humans and why they believe their findings may help prevent alcohol abuse.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-07-rsu1-gene-linked-alcohol-consumption.html
GeneticsTue, 14 Jul 2015 08:30:05 EDTnews356071896Dopamine found to increase sexual desire in aging male fruit flies(Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers with affiliations to a large number of institutions in Taiwan has found that increasing dopamine levels in the brains of male fruit flies caused them to find a renewed interest in sexual activity. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the team describes their study of natural and artificial levels of dopamine in male fruit flies and its impact on sexual interest and activity.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-07-dopamine-sexual-desire-aging-male.html
Medical researchWed, 01 Jul 2015 10:18:00 EDTnews354964663Upsetting a fragile alliance triggers a deadly childhood diseaseScientists at the University of Malta and the Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier (CNRS/Université de Montpellier) have shown that fruit flies and brewer's yeast can reveal clues about the cause of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the most common genetic killer of infants.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-06-fragile-alliance-triggers-deadly-childhood.html
Diseases, Conditions, SyndromesMon, 29 Jun 2015 14:07:44 EDTnews354805654Three simple rules govern complex brain circuit in flyThink the nest of cables under your desk is bad? Try keeping the trillions of connections crisscrossing your brain organized and free of tangles. A new study coauthored by researchers at UC San Francisco and the Freie Universität Berlin reveals this seemingly intractable job may be simpler than it appears.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-06-simple-complex-brain-circuit.html
NeuroscienceThu, 25 Jun 2015 12:00:11 EDTnews354436945Cancer drug makes fruit flies live longerAdult fruit flies given a cancer drug live 12% longer than average, according to a UCL-led study researching healthy ageing. The drug targets a specific cellular process that occurs in animals, including humans, delaying the onset of age-related deaths by slowing the ageing process.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-06-cancer-drug-fruit-flies-longer.html
Medical researchThu, 25 Jun 2015 12:00:07 EDTnews354436708Scientists identify protein that sustains heart function into old ageThe human heart makes precious few new cells but manages to generate billions of life-sustaining beats as it grows old.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-06-scientists-protein-sustains-heart-function.html
Medical researchWed, 17 Jun 2015 14:00:06 EDTnews353753926Mutation in transient receptor potential channel impairs fine motor control but leaves gross motor proficiency intactIn all animals—from humans to fruit flies—coordinated physical movement relies on two regimes of motor control: gross and fine. In humans, gross motor control enables large movements of the body and limbs, such as during walking, running or throwing; fine motor control is necessary for more precise movements—pressing a specific key while playing a musical instrument, for example.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-06-mutation-transient-receptor-potential-channel.html
NeuroscienceMon, 01 Jun 2015 15:34:35 EDTnews352391307Zinc in the body may contribute to kidney stonesNew research on kidney stone formation reveals that zinc levels may contribute to kidney stone formation, a common urinary condition that can cause excruciating pain. The research found that zinc may be the core by which stone formation starts.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-06-zinc-body-contribute-kidney-stones.html
Diseases, Conditions, SyndromesMon, 01 Jun 2015 12:52:56 EDTnews352381961Fruit fly studies shed light on adaptabilityAn international team of researchers at German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) have revealed in a collaborative study that neurons change on the molecular level when they are exposed to prolonged light. The researchers could identify that a feedback signalling mechanism is responsible for these changes. The innate neuronal property might be utilized to protect neurons from degeneration or cell death in the future.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-05-fruit.html
NeuroscienceTue, 26 May 2015 08:17:27 EDTnews351846999Brain compass keeps flies on course, even in the darkIf you walk into a dark room, you can still find your way to the light switch. That's because your brain keeps track of landmarks and the direction in which you are moving. Fruit flies also boast an internal compass that works when the lights go out, scientists at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus have discovered. Their findings suggest that dissecting how fruit flies navigate through the world could help researchers understand how humans and other mammals achieve that task.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-05-brain-compass-flies-dark.html
NeuroscienceWed, 13 May 2015 13:00:01 EDTnews350739758Extra sleep fixes memory problems in flies with Alzheimer's-like conditionMany studies have linked more sleep to better memory, but new research in fruit flies demonstrates that extra sleep helps the brain overcome catastrophic neurological defects that otherwise would block memory formation, report scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-04-extra-memory-problems-flies-alzheimer-like.html
NeuroscienceThu, 23 Apr 2015 12:00:01 EDTnews349006653Fruit fly studies shed light on adaptability of nerve cells An international team of researchers at German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) have revealed in a collaborative study - published today in NEURON, that neurons in the eye change on the molecular level when they are exposed to prolonged light. The researchers could identify that a feedback signalling mechanism is responsible for these changes. The innate neuronal property might be utilized to protect neurons from degeneration or cell death in the future.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-04-fruit-nerve-cells.html
NeuroscienceFri, 17 Apr 2015 13:06:40 EDTnews348494790Giant proteins determine properties of neuronsGiant membrane-associated proteins called ankyrins extend into the cytoplasm to arrange and stabilize microtubules in axons and synapses. This determines not only the diameter and hence the functional properties of axons, but also the size, function and stability of synapses. This mechanism underlying the control of neuronal dimensions, functional properties and connectivity was elucidated by Jan Pielage and his group at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI). Their findings have been published in Developmental Cell.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-04-heterochromatin-formation-onset-life_1.html
NeuroscienceTue, 14 Apr 2015 09:30:02 EDTnews348221957Emerging diseases likely to be more harmful in similar speciesWhen viruses such as influenza and Ebola jump from one species to another, their ability to cause harm can change dramatically, but research from the University of Cambridge shows that it may be possible to predict the virus's virulence by looking at how deadly it is in closely-related species.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-03-emerging-diseases-similar-species.html
Diseases, Conditions, SyndromesTue, 17 Mar 2015 09:50:14 EDTnews345804608You are when you eat: Limiting flies to specific eating hours protected their hearts against agingIf you're looking to improve your heart health by changing your diet, when you eat may be just as important as what you eat. In a new study published today in Science, researchers at San Diego State University and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies found that by limiting the time span during which fruit flies could eat, they could prevent aging- and diet-related heart problems. The researchers also discovered that genes responsible for the body's circadian rhythm are integral to this process, but they're not yet sure how.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-03-limiting-flies-specific-hours-hearts.html
CardiologyThu, 12 Mar 2015 14:00:13 EDTnews345373229Study of fruit fly 'brain in a jar' reveals mechanics of jet lagLong the stuff of science fiction, the disembodied "brain in a jar" is providing science fact for UC Irvine researchers, who by studying the whole brains of fruit flies are discovering the inner mechanisms of jet lag.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-03-fruit-brain-jar-reveals-mechanics.html
Medical researchMon, 09 Mar 2015 13:31:23 EDTnews345126674Using fruit flies to understand how we sense hot and coldInnately, we pull our hand away when we touch a hot pan on the stove, but little is known about how our brain processes temperature information. Northwestern University scientists now have discovered how a fruit fly's brain represents temperature, mapping it neuron by neuron, which has implications for understanding the much more complex human brain and how it responds to sensory stimuli.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-03-fruit-flies-hot-cold.html
NeuroscienceWed, 04 Mar 2015 13:09:15 EDTnews344696945New fluorescent protein permanently marks neurons that fireA new tool developed at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus lets scientists shine a light on an animal's brain to permanently mark neurons that are active at a particular time. The tool—a fluorescent protein called CaMPARI—converts from green to red when calcium floods a nerve cell after the cell fires. The permanent mark frees scientists from the need to focus a microscope on the right cells at the right time to observe neuronal activity.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-02-fluorescent-protein-permanently-neurons.html
NeuroscienceThu, 12 Feb 2015 14:00:08 EDTnews342971536Research on life expectancy in fruit flies opens up a new line of inquiry into longevitySome studies on the genetic roots of aging will need a second look after the discovery that a common lab chemical can extend the life span of female fruit flies by 68 percent.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-02-life-fruit-flies-line-inquiry.html
GeneticsWed, 04 Feb 2015 14:12:58 EDTnews342281571Food for thoughtUniversity of Tsukuba researchers discover an exciting new link between nutrition and development in fruit flies that involves a direct association between the brain and parts of the insect organ secreting the important hormone. It helps to explain when and how caterpillars turn into butterflies and may help us to understand how and when children develop into adults.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-02-food-thought.html
NeuroscienceWed, 04 Feb 2015 07:50:01 EDTnews342256674Researchers find genetic cues for a big heartBigger isn't always better, even when it comes to the body's most vital organs. An enlarged or thickened cardiac muscle can actually force the heart to work harder to pump blood throughout the body, weakening the organ until it eventually wears out.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-02-id-genetic-cues-big-heart.html
GeneticsTue, 03 Feb 2015 14:00:03 EDTnews342192071Researchers discover insulin-decreasing hormone in flies, humansAn insulin-regulating hormone that, until now, only had been postulated to exist has been identified by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-02-insulin-decreasing-hormone-flies-humans.html
Medical researchTue, 03 Feb 2015 13:07:10 EDTnews342191220Scientists identify novel precursor to neurodegenerationAlteration of lipid metabolism in brain cells promotes the formation of lipid droplets that presage the loss of neurons, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital in a report that appears online in the journal Cell.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-01-scientists-precursor-neurodegeneration.html
Medical researchThu, 15 Jan 2015 12:00:07 EDTnews340527633Could ibuprofen be an anti-aging medicine? Popular over-the counter drug extends lifespan in yeast, worms and fliesIbuprofen, a common over-the-counter drug used to relieve pain and fever, could hold the keys to a longer healthier life, according to a study by researchers at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. Publishing in PLoS Genetics on December 18th, scientists showed that regular doses of ibuprofen extended the lifespan of yeast, worms and fruit flies.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-12-ibuprofen-anti-aging-medicine-popular-over-the.html
GeneticsThu, 18 Dec 2014 14:00:15 EDTnews338130376How the brain can distinguish good from bad smellsScientists from Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, have found that in fruit flies, the quality and intensity of odors can be mapped in the so-called lateral horn. They have created a spatial map of this part of the olfactory processing system in the fly brain and showed that the lateral horn can be segregated into three activity domains, each of which represents an odor category.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-12-brain-distinguish-good-bad.html
NeuroscienceTue, 16 Dec 2014 10:20:02 EDTnews337945614Fruit flies pass down changes in their metabolism from father to sonThe consumption of a sugary banquet before sex can have far-reaching consequences for a fruit fly and its offspring: it makes the young flies more prone to obesity.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-12-fruit-flies-metabolism-father-son.html
Medical researchFri, 05 Dec 2014 12:43:20 EDTnews337005789Response to viral infections depends on the entry route of the virusInsects can transmit viral diseases to humans. Therefore, understanding how insects cope with viral infection, and what immune mechanisms are triggered, can be important to stop diseases transmission. In a study published in this week's issue of the scientific journal PLOS Pathogens, researchers from the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia (IGC; Portugal) now show that the entry route of the virus changes how the insect host responds to it. Using the fruit flies as a model of study, they discovered an immune mechanism that is specifically effective when flies are infected through feeding.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-12-response-viral-infections-entry-route.html
Medical researchThu, 04 Dec 2014 14:59:48 EDTnews336927579High-sugar diet in fathers can lead to obese offspringA new study shows that increasing sugar in the diet of male fruit flies for just 1 or 2 days before mating can cause obesity in their offspring through alterations that affect gene expression in the embryo. There is also evidence that a similar system regulates obesity susceptibility in mice and humans. The research, which is published online December 4 in the Cell Press journal Cell, provides insights into how certain metabolic traits are inherited and may help investigators determine whether they can be altered.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-12-high-sugar-diet-fathers-obese-offspring.html
GeneticsThu, 04 Dec 2014 12:00:04 EDTnews336909978Has a possible new lead been found in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases?Good communication between brain cells is vital for optimal (mental) health. Mutations in the TBC1D24 gene inhibit this process, thereby causing neurodegeneration and epilepsy. Fruit flies with a defect in Skywalker, the fruit fly variant of TBC1D24, are being used as a model for neurodegeneration. Researchers from VIB and KU Leuven have succeeded in completely suppressing neurodegeneration in such fruit flies, by partially inhibiting the breakdown of 'defective' proteins in brain cells.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-11-neurodegenerative-diseases.html
Medical researchMon, 24 Nov 2014 11:46:16 EDTnews336051969